New York City Gas Work Qualification Exam

New York City Gas Work Qualification Exam Prep Checklist

Everything for the New York City Gas Work Qualification exam in one place: the bulletin's key facts, the topics and how many questions each carries, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a prep checklist. CPS HR Consulting gives the exam.

New York City Gas Work Qualification Exam Facts

From the official bulletin:

On exam day

• The examination is a computer-administered multiple-choice test.
• You must present two forms of identification, the first a current valid government-issued photo ID with your signature matching your registration name and the second any non-expired photo ID.
• Candidates should arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled examination appointment.
• The exam is open book with all references supplied electronically, and no hardcopy reference materials may be brought into the testing center.
• Candidates may not bring a calculator, but an online calculator is available during the examination.
• Scratch paper, pens, pencils and an online calculator are provided, while personal notes, books, calculators, electronics and other personal items are prohibited.

References you may bring

• 2014 NYC General Administrative Provisions
• 2014 NYC Fuel Gas Code
• 2014 NYC Plumbing Code

Scheduling, changes and retakes

• You schedule the examination online using the link provided in your eligibility confirmation email, and may call CPS HR at 855-224-6977 with scheduling problems.
• Department approval is required before scheduling, and eligibility lasts six months from the examination application date.
• Cancellation or rescheduling must be received two calendar days before the examination date to avoid forfeiting the fee, and cancelling does not extend the six-month deadline.
• Missing the appointment or arriving after the examination start time invalidates the application and forfeits the examination fee.
• A printed score report indicating overall score and grade and whether you passed or failed is given immediately after the examination.
• A failed candidate must wait 14 days to reapply, may test up to three times in six months, and must wait six months after three failures in that period.
• A passing candidate must submit all required documents in person to the Department's Licensing & Exams Unit within one year of passing.

Source: Candidate Information Bulletin – Gas Work Qualification Examination, Last Updated 08.01.2024. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.

New York City Gas Work Qualification Exam Topics

The official content outline has 6 topics:

New York City Gas Work Qualification Exam Prep Checklist

• Get the reference books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names.
• Learn each book's table of contents and index first.
• Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
• Take our timed practice exams until you pass several in a row.
• After each attempt, look up every question you missed in your book.
• Practice at the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 24 seconds per question.

New York City Gas Work Qualification Exam Reference Books

The reference list is the 2014 NYC General Administrative Provisions, the 2014 NYC Fuel Gas Code and the 2014 NYC Plumbing Code; these cannot be brought in as hardcopy but are provided electronically during the open-book examination.

Where to get them:

• NYC Administrative Code
• NYC Fuel Gas Code
• NYC Plumbing Code

Test Day Checklist

• First pass: answer every question you know. Bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions.
• Second pass: work through your bookmarks.
• Pace: 2 hours for 50 questions, which is about 2 minutes 24 seconds per question.
• Last step: answer anything still blank. A blank can't earn a point.

Study Tips

On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.

Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.

Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.

Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.

New York City Gas Work Qualification Sample Questions

From our practice question bank, with answers and references:

Sample 1 — Gas Work Hazards & Violations

Question: Underground gas piping systems must be installed at a minimum depth of how far below grade?

• A. 24 inches
• B. 12 inches
• C. 36 inches
• D. 30 inches

Correct Answer: A

NYC Fuel Gas Code Section 404.10 requires underground piping systems to be installed a minimum depth of 24 inches (610 mm) below grade.

Reference: New York City Fuel Gas Code 2014, Section 404.10

Sample 2 — Gas Work Business Practices

Question: Natural gas piping installations are treated as high-pressure installations, subject to additional code requirements beyond the general piping provisions, when the operating pressure is at or above:

• A. 5 psig
• B. 25 psig
• C. 10 psig
• D. 15 psig

Correct Answer: D

Per New York City Fuel Gas Code Section 101.2.2, high pressure natural gas installations at pressures of 15 psig (103 kPa gauge) or above shall also comply with the additional high-pressure requirements of the code (Appendix G), in addition to the general piping system requirements.

Reference: New York City Fuel Gas Code 2014, Section 101.2.2

Sample 3 — Gas Work New Technology

Question: You are connecting a domestic gas clothes dryer to the rigid exhaust duct system using a single listed and labeled transition duct. What is the maximum permitted length of that transition duct?

• A. 8 feet
• B. 12 feet
• C. 6 feet
• D. 10 feet

Correct Answer: A

Per New York City Fuel Gas Code Section 614.6.4, transition ducts used to connect the dryer to the exhaust duct system shall be a single length listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2158A, shall be a maximum of 8 feet in length, and shall not be concealed within construction.

Reference: New York City Fuel Gas Code 2014, Section 614.6.4

Sample 4 — Gas Detection & Testing

Question: A combustible gas indicator used to monitor the open discharge point during an outdoor purging operation must numerically display a volume scale from zero percent to 100 percent in what increments?

• A. 20 percent or smaller
• B. 1 percent or smaller
• C. 10 percent or smaller
• D. 5 percent or smaller

Correct Answer: B

New York City Fuel Gas Code 2014, Section 406.7.1.4 requires combustible gas indicators to be listed, calibrated per the manufacturer's instructions, and to numerically display a volume scale from zero to 100 percent in 1 percent or smaller increments.

Reference: New York City Fuel Gas Code 2014, Section 406.7.1.4

Online Practice vs. a PDF

• Timed: you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them.
• Bookmarks: flag questions and come back, the way you will on test day.
• New sets: each attempt draws new questions from our bank.
• Scored by topic: your results show which outline topics need more study.

Next Step

• Take the free New York City Gas Work Qualification practice exam.
• Study the topics where you scored lowest.
• Read the exam bulletin for the official rules, and see the licensing board's website.